Ahern plan to thwart Sky deal

Bertie Ahern is set for a head-to-head confrontation with Rupert Murdoch over Sky's control of live Irish soccer internationals.

The taoiseach threatened legal action yesterday to stop Sky's exclusive deal with Irish football authorities. Ahern, a Manchester United fan, said Irish supporters had the legal right to watch live Ireland games for free.

But his threat to take Murdoch's television station to court is a political gamble. In recent years the taoiseach has sought to woo Murdoch because of the media tycoon's growing commercial power in Ireland. The Murdoch press in Ireland almost unanimously backed Ahern and his Fianna Fail party during the general election in May.

The Football Association of Ireland, which has sold the rights to Sky Sports for 7.5 million euros, is seeking legal advice before replying to Ahern's criticisms.

In Dublin yesterday the taoiseach said: 'Our position is that we believe the legal position is clearly on our side - and, if we have to, we will impose that position.

'I am not trying to take any money away from the FAI - the best of luck to them. They need money and have outlined to us their problems, which we acknowledge.

'The position for us is that we have a clear law in this country and a clear European Union directive. That means that the people of this country are entitled to watch major events free to air.

'If we are pushed to do that, we will impose it. The FAI will get their advice and Sky, I am sure, are not averse to taking a legal case. But I can see solutions to it.

'We are the sovereign government and there is legislation and an EU directive and it is quite clear. We cannot sit around and disenfranchise a large part of the population from seeing matches they are allowed to see.'

The FAI's sale of live internationals to Sky means national broadcaster RTE and its main terrestrial rival TV would be barred from showing live Irish games. TV3, however, will be allowed to show all of the Irish matches one hour after the exclusive Sky broadcast.

Ahern bluntly told the FAI of the European and legal implications of the development during a 90-minute exchange with senior officials from the body at Dublin's Government Buildings.

Earlier, a senior European Union official suggested that the Irish government could draw up a list of protected sporting events to ensure that the live matches would be available to viewers free of charge.

Before the meeting between the FAI and the government, Deputy Prime Minister Mary Harney indicated that the Attorney-General had given the Cabinet a preliminary view that there were legal grounds for intervention in the TV deal. The Tanaiste said: 'Each year we give a huge amount of funds to bodies like this, and of course the FAI in particular want to see the taxpayers fund the national stadium.

'We cannot on the one hand expect the taxpayer to pay for the infrastructure and then deny the very same taxpayers the opportunity to watch the matches. They cannot have it every way.'

Consumer groups have called for the Republic of Ireland to be banned from Dublin's Landsdowne Road in protest at the FAI/Sky deal.

The Consumer Association of Ireland said the Irish Rugby Footballl Union, the owners of Lansdowne Road, should reconsider allowing the international soccer side to use its stadium.

RTE, which used to share live coverage with Sky of Ireland games, has complained that the FAI's deal has been a 'kick in the teeth' for the ordinary fans.

The Irish Football Supporters Association has organised a nationwide protest, urging fans to send in postcards to FAI headquarters stating their abhorrence over the Sky deal.

The FAI has said the Sky offer was 'too good to turn down'. The football authorities say the Sky revenue will be reinvested into League of Ireland sides, which are crippled with debt due to falling gate receipts.

Sky's deal will be in place for Ireland's first European Championship qualifier with Switzerland in October.

It costs 40 euros a month to subscribe to Sky's sports package with the installation of the dish costing a further 100 euros. There are 232,000 Sky subscribers in Ireland, who like everyone else until now have also enjoyed international games free of charge.

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About this article

Ahern plan to thwart Sky deal

This article appeared on p1 of the Main section section of the Observer
on Saturday 13 July 2002.
It was published on
the Guardian website
at 06.49 EDT on Sunday 14 July 2002.
It was last modified at 06.49 EST on Tuesday 9 March 2004.
It was first published at 06.49 EST on Tuesday 9 March 2004.